As Geeklawyer has commented on before there is a certain amount of hostility among many members of the Bar to the proposal to remove the need for wigs in court. A recent survey by the Bar Council has found that, surprise surprise, barristers aren’t too happy. More surprising was that punters preferred wigs too. Huzzah!
Perhaps they’ll now drop this New Labour pseudo-egalitarian bollocks.
I actually think that wigs help to highlight the gravitas of the situation in a court. Also it reminds people that they are acting in a social role rather than simply being themselves. I agree scraping them would be pointless.
Certainly litigation is about theatre. Bad theatre at that.
What’s most offensive is the suggestion that we have a new, “continental” style gown. I say we either have full gown and wiggery, and possibly MORE 18th century paraphernalia, or we just knock the whole thing on the head and turn up in jeans and t-shirt and five days’ beard growth. If, as the anti-wig crowd say, we shouldn’t rely on fancy dress to carry our arguments, then why should I have to spend hundreds of pounds on suits, and launder shirts all the bloody time?
Fucking A. This is, paradoxically, the argument of Solicitor-Inadequates: “we want to look the same as the real lawyers”. Fine, I’ll wear a sports casual jacket (something you’d have to spend 3 years salary on, sure) & so will you.
I’m happy to wear a flash suit because I look so damned hot. And if I have to wear not only a wig bands but also breeches/knickerbockers and court shoes I’m so totally fucking up for it you wouldn’t believe (and Stanley Ley’s will support me on this I imagine).
Screw the fucking proletariat: social equality is too good for them.
I blame Lord Philips-Worth of what ever he is. He just can’t be arsed to get changed.….
Geeklawyer the Proletariat is either denied the education from which they would learn to appreciate social equality, or never accepted into the club because their education wasn’t the ‘right sort’. A wig is a uniform so people can recognize you, and what role you are playing. Nothing more, nothing less.
Of course there is always this other opinion regarding equality of the prols.
Distrust all those who talk much of their justice! Verily, in their souls not only honey is lacking.
And when they call themselves “the good and just,” forget not, that for them to be Pharisees, nothing is lacking but–power!
My friends, I will not be mixed up and confounded with others.
There are those who preach my doctrine of life, and are at the same time preachers of equality, and tarantulas.
That they speak in favour of life, though they sit in their den, these poison-spiders, and withdrawn from life–is because they would thereby do injury.
To those would they thereby do injury who have power at present: for with those the preaching of death is still most at home.
Were it otherwise, then would the tarantulas teach otherwise: and they themselves were formerly the best world-maligners and heretic-burners.
With these preachers of equality will I not be mixed up and confounded. For thus speaketh justice UNTO ME: “Men are not equal.”
And neither shall they become so! What would be my love to the Superman, if I spake otherwise?
On a thousand bridges and piers shall they throng to the future, and always shall there be more war and inequality among them: thus doth my great love make me speak!
Inventors of figures and phantoms shall they be in their hostilities; and with those figures and phantoms shall they yet fight with each other the supreme fight!
Good and evil, and rich and poor, and high and low, and all names of values: weapons shall they be, and sounding signs, that life must again and again surpass itself!
Aloft will it build itself with columns and stairs–life itself: into remote distances would it gaze, and out towards blissful beauties– THEREFORE doth it require elevation!
And because it requireth elevation, therefore doth it require steps, and variance of steps and climbers! To rise striveth life, and in rising to surpass itself.
My Dear Geek,
The rather disturbing comment on the unwigged barrister at the LVT is indeed a cautionary tale.
It may even be true.
Even if not, it an excellent argument for wig-wearing.